Device for playing a game



Oct. 31, 1933. o. c. BRITSCH DEVICE FOR PLAYING A GAME Filed April 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 48 Patented Oct. 31, 1933 DEVICE FOR PLAYING A GAME Otto G.

Britsch, Woodhaven, N. Y., assignor to Henry Hyman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application April 15, 1931. Serial No.' 530,239

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a device by means of which a game can be played.

By this invention provision is made by means of which handles or switch contact means can be give a signal tO\ indicate where be found corresponding to a question that may be asked, or whereby the relation between two different situations can be established or indicated by a buzzer or the lighting of an electric light, for example.

moved to con- 7 tact with contacts, thereby closing a circuit to an answer can The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an illustrative embodiment of the invention showing it attached to aflashlight casing; Fig. 2 is a section along the line '22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the several parts of the device; Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the details; Fig. 5 is a plan view of other details showing wiring connections; Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5 observed from the other side; Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing wiring connections for a modification; Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the modification and Fig. 9 is a section through some of the details of the modification.

which an electric light bulb or the plug of an electric light cord can be screwed so that the center contact of the electric light bulb or plug will contact with the terminal 7 of the battery.

Reference character 8 indicates a center shaft of insulating material that is preferably made slightly conical.

A disc of insulating material 9 is provided near one end of the shaft 8, leaving a short circular portion 10 for a purpose to be described. The end of the shaft 8 terminates in a reduced portion 11 that is square in cross section. An intermediate portion 12 of the shaft 6 is also made square to fit square holes in a disc 13 of insulating material which carries a series of contact buttons 14 near its periphery arranged in a circular row.

Segment shaped stops 15 and 16 of insulating material (Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6) are disc 13.

attached to the Each one of these stops covers approximately one half .of the side of the disc and the corresponding ends of the buttons 14, but the stops are located on opposite sides of the disc .13

diagonally opposite each other.

A metal disc 17 having a central hole through which the shaft 8 extends is located in contact withthe lower side of the disc 13. A metal arm 18 having a hole near one end through which the shaft 8 extends contacts with the lower side of the metal disc 1'7 and revolves on theshaft 8. This arm is provided with an upwardly and outwardly extending finger-piece 18' and also with a spring contact 19 that contacts with the lower endsof contact buttons 14 when the metal arm 18 is turned.

One or more longitudinally extending grooves 20 are provided along the outer periphery of the conical portion of the shaft8. A metalwasher 21.

having a .central hole through which the shaft 8 extends is provided with a lug or key 22 to fit in the groove 20 to prevent this washer from revolving on the shaft 8. The washer 21 is also provided with an annular groove 23 to accommodate the end of the screw shell 24 that fits upon the shaft 8 and is provided with one or more struck-in lugs 24' to fit the grooves 20 to prevent the shell 24 from turning on the shaft 8.

Ametal arm 25 similar to the arm 18, is provided with a circular hole near one end to fit over the end 10 of the shaft and revolve around it.

The metal arm 25 has an upwardly extending finger-piece 25' and a contact spring 26 to contact with the upper ends of the other contact buttons 14 when the metal arm 25 is turned.

A member 2'7 made of metal is provided with a square hole 28 that fits upon the square extension 11 to prevent the member 27 from turning. The member 2'? is provided with a disc 29 at one end thereof that fits against the upper side of the arm 25 and also with a disc 30 of smaller diameter next to the disc 29. The member 2'7 is also provided with an interiorly threaded hollow extension 31 that is adapted to receive a lamp bulb S2, or the screw plug of an electric light cord.

A washer 33 of insulating'material fits in the opening in the member 27 and extends over the edges of the hole 28. A screw-threaded bolt 34 extends through the washer 33 and a central longitudinal hole in the shaft 8 and also through a central hole in the plug ofinsulating material that is mounted securely at the end of the screw shell 24. A nut 36 is screwed upon the end of the bolt 34 to hold the parts in assembled position.

A disc 3'7 of pasteboard or other materiaLupon which writing or insignia may be placed, is provided with a central hole 38 forthe disc 30 and also with an eccentric hole 39 into which a projection 40 on the stop 15 extends to prevent the disc 37 from turning.

The contact buttons 14 are connected (Fig. 5) in pairs by connections 41 so that each contact button that has an exposed end on one side of the disc 13 is connected to a contact button that has an exposed end on the other side of this disc and the connections ii are insulated from each other in any convenient way, as, for example, by paper between these connections, especially where they cross each other.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7, S and 9 the contact buttons 42 and 43 are arranged so that half of them have their ends exposed on one side of the disc 13 and the other half of them have their ends exposed on the other side of the disc 13, the exposed and covered ends of these contact buttons 42 alternating with each other, as shown by full and dotted lines. respectively, in Fig. 7. The buttons 43 are contacted only by the contact spring 19 on the arm 13 and the buttons 42 are contacted only by the contact spring 26 on the arm 25. The buttons 42 and 43 are connected by connections 44,,as shown in Fig. 7.

In this modification the disc 37 is prevented from turning on the disc 30 by providing a larger disc 45 instead of the disc 29 (of Fig. 1) and having an extension or projection 46 on this disc 4.5 ex tending into the opening 39 in the disc 37.

The operation of the device will be described in a way to show how it can be used to enable theoperator to answer questions that may be asked. Questions are placed around one half ,of the periphery of the disc 37 as shown in Fig. 4 with one question for each button 14 that is exposed, as shown in Fig. 6. Corresponding answers are placed around the other half of the disc 37 (Fig. 4) (these answers being placed above the contacts 14 exposed in Fig. 5) in accordance with the connection of the wires 41 to the other contact buttons. The arm 18 is moved so that the finger 18' stops under the question that is to be asked and the arm 25 is moved until the'bulb lights, whereupon it will be immediately below the answer to the question.

The circuit from the battery 2 will now be traced for positions of the arms 18 and 25 which. cause the bulb 32 to light. The circuit is from the battery terminal 7 through bolt 34 to the center contact of the lamp 32, through the filament of the lamp to the shell 31 and member 27, arm 25, spring contact 26, button 14, connection &1 to another button 1%, spring contact 19, and arm 18, shell 24:, shell 6, cap 5, and thence through the switch -3 to the other contact of the battery, as is usual in flash-light casings. The stop 16 limits the the movement of the arm 25 to contact with buttons l t that correspond to the answers to the questions.

The operation of the modification shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is very similar to that already described, except that the arms 18 and 25 can turn through 860 instead of being limited in their movement by stops, as is the case in the other embodiment of the invention. In this modification the series of questions and answers may be arranged along concentric circles near the edge of the disc 37 when the device is to be used for question and answer purposes.

I claim:

1. In an educational device, a shaft of insulating material, a metal screw plug atone end of said shaft, a metal screw socket at the other end thereof, means for connecting a source of current to said plug and socket, metal arms rotatable around said shaft, one of said arms being connected to said plug and th other to said socket, and means for connecting said arms electrically in certain positions thereof. v

2. In an educational device, a shaft of insulating material, a metal screw plug at one end of said shaft, 2. metal screw socket at the other end thereof, means for connecting a source of current to said plug and socket, metal arms rotatable around said shaft, one of said arms being connected to said plug and the other to said socket, means for connecting said arms electrically in certain positions thereof, and a screw threaded metal rod through said shaft holding the parts of said device in assembled relation.

3. In an educational device, a shaft of insulating material, a metal screw plug at one end of said shaft, a metal screw socket at the other end thereof, means for connecting a source of current to said plug and socket, metal arms rotatable around said shaft, one of said arms being connected to said plug and the other to said socket, and means for connecting said arms electrically in certain positions thereof, said means comprising a disc of insulating material and contact buttons on said disc. I

4. In an educational device, a shaft of insulating materiaLa metal screw plug at one end of said shaft, a metal screw socket at the other end thereof, means for connecting a source of current to said plug and socket, metal arms rotatable around said shaft, one of said arms being connected to said plug and the other to-said socket, and means for connecting said arms electrically in certain positions thereof, said means comprising a disc of insulating material between said arms and contact buttons on said disc. 5. In an educational device, a shaft of insulating material, a metal screw plug at one end of said shaft, a metal screw socket at the other end thereof, means for connecting a source of current to said plug and socket, metal arms rotatable around said shaft, one of said arms being connected to said plug and the other to said socket, and means for connecting said arms electrically in certain positions thereof, said means comprising a disc of insulating material between said arms and contact buttons on said disc, said buttons being connected in pairs.

6. In an educational device, a plurality of contacts connected in pairs with the pairs insulated from each other, separate contactors for said contacts, an electric socket, one of said contactors being connected to a terminal of said socket, and an electric plug, the other contactor being connected to said plug.

7. In an educational device, a plurality of contacts connected in pairs with the pairs insulated from each other, separate contactors for said contacts, and means comprising a flashlight casing for connecting said contactors to terminals of a source of electric current.

8. In an educational device, a plurality of contacts connected in pairs with the pairs insulated from each other, separate contactors for said contacts, means comprising a flashlight casing for connecting said contactors to terminals of a source of electric current, and a signal device in the circuit.

9. In an educational device, a. plurality of contacts connected in pairs arranged in a circular row with the pairs insulated from each other, separate rotatable contactors for said contacts,

and means comprising a flashlight casing for connecting said contactors to terminals of a source of electric current.

10. In an educational device, a stationary shaft having a disc mounted thereon, a plurality of electrical contacts mounted on said disc and connected in pairs, arms rotatably mounted on said shaft and adapted to contact with said contacts, and means to connect a source of electric current to said arms.

11. In an educational device, a stationary shaft having a disc mounted thereon, a plurality of electrical contacts mounted on said disc and connected in pairs, arms rotatably mounted on said shaft and adapted to contact with said contacts, means to limit the extent of rotation of said arms, and means to connect a source of electric current to said arms.

12. In an educational device, a stationary shaft having a disc mounted thereon, a plurality of electrical contacts mounted on said disc and connected in pairs, arms rotatably mounted on said shaft and adapted to contact with said contacts, and means comprising a screw plug and a screw shell at opposite ends of said shaft to connect a source of electric current to said arms.

13.' In an educational device, a shaft having a disc mounted thereon, a plurality of electrical contacts mounted on said disc and connected in pairs, one contact of each pair being exposed on one side of said disc and the other one exposed on the other side of said disc, arms rotatably mounted on said shaft and adapted to contact with said contacts, and means to connect a source of electric current to said arms.

OTTO C. BRITSCI-I. 

